Malaysian switched at birth seeks religion change

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 (Reuters) A Malaysian Muslim man switched at birth in a hospital mix-up has filed a lawsuit seeking to become a Buddhist and have his name changed, newspapers reported today.

The suit, filed in a civil court, comes within days of Malaysia's best-known Christian convert, Lina Joy, losing a battle in the country's highest court to have the word ''Islam'' removed from her identity card.

That ruling threatened to further polarise Malaysian society between non-Muslims who feel that their constitutional right to religious freedom is being eroded, and Muslims who believe that civil courts have no right to meddle in Islamic affairs.

The judge said the civil court had no jurisdiction in the case and it should be dealt with by the country's Islamic courts.

But sales executive Zulhaidi Omar, 29, is seeking a declaration from the National Registration Department that he is a Buddhist and his name should have been Eddie Teyo, the New Straits Times reported.

Zulhaidi was raised in an ethnic Malay family, and discovered his true origins only after a Chinese woman at a supermarket where he worked noticed his features were similar to those of her father.

Three visits by the woman and her parents convinced him to take a DNA test that confirmed the ties.

As a child, Zulhaidi was teased about his Chinese-like features.

He never felt accepted by the family which brought him up, and left them when he was 13.

He waited on tables and worked at a car wash to put himself through school, eventually ending up with a diploma in business administration.

In practice, sharia courts do not allow Muslims to formally renounce Islam, preferring to send apostates to counselling and, ultimately, fining or jailing them if they refuse to desist.

Such people often end up in legal limbo, unable to register their new religious affiliations or legally marry non-Muslims. Many keep silent about their choice or emigrate.

Lina Joy, 43, was born Azlina Jailani and was brought up as a Muslim, but at the age of 26 decided to become a Christian.

She wants to marry her Christian boyfriend, a cook, but she cannot do so while her identity card declares her to be Muslim.

In 1999, the registration department allowed her to change the name in her identity card but the entry for her religion remained ''Islam''.

Malaysia, like neighbouring Indonesia, practises a moderate brand of Islam, but Muslims account for only a bare majority of Malaysia's population and are very sensitive to any perceived threats to Islam's special status as the official religion.

Malaysia has been under Islamic influence since the 15th century, but big waves of Chinese and Indian immigrants over the last 150 years has dramatically changed its racial and religious make-up. Now, about 40 per cent of Malaysians are non-Muslim.

REUTERS JT KP1040